Yesterday, we noted that Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall intends to introduce legislation banning gays from serving in the Virginia National Guard in response to Congress’ vote to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has already made clear that he would not support any such effort, but Marshall plans to press ahead:
Conservative delegate Bob Marshall says he will introduce a measure in the Virginia House of Delegates that would ban practicing homosexuals from serving in the state’s National Guard.
The Republican delegate says openly gay soldiers would distract straight troops. He said, “It’s a distraction when I’m on the battlefield and have to concentrate on the enemy 600 yards away and I’m worried about this guy whose got eyes on me.”
Marshall says gays have greater incidences of sexually transmitted diseases and this could create other problems. “If I needed a blood transfusion and the guy next to me had committed sodomy 14 times in the last month I’d be worried,” he adds.
Marshall insists that Alexander Hamilton clearly stated in Federalist #29 that those who engage in “sodomy” cannot serve in the military … but I challenge you to find anything in that paper that supports Marshall’s assertion.
Alan Colmes had Marshall on his radio program last night and Marshall again made this claim, to which Colmes correctly pointed out that the definition of “sodomy” includes oral sex, asking if that meant that that any straight soldier who has ever engaged in oral sex ought to be thrown out of the military, to which Marshall responded by insisting that “sodomy” only means anal intercourse and that anyone, gay or straight, who engages in such behavior ought to be banned from serving in the military:
You can listen to Colmes’ entire interview with Marshall here:
